Hayato took a deep breath. It was real. That power wasn't a system illusion. He could truly manifest something from his thoughts.
The sudden mental fatigue appearing behind his eyes confirmed the price to pay: mental energy. But, for someone who had just gained a foothold in this threatening world, it was a cheap price.
"So, this is the 'Restricted Version'," he murmured, staring at his now empty hand. "Just creating a crystal ball already drained a bit of energy. Imagine trying something more complex."
SERA, who still looked "exhausted", nodded slowly. "Tier 1 only allows manifestation of simple, non-living objects, with limited mass and short duration. It requires practice, experience, and possibly 'level ups' for bigger things." She paused for a moment.
"I understand," Hayato replied curtly. His mind was already wandering elsewhere. "Earlier… during the mission. I felt something odd. Risa seemed to hear something I didn't say."
SERA shifted slightly, a virtual movement almost akin to nervousness. "Ah… about that. That might just be your feeling. Or your facial expression conveying a lot."
Hayato stared at her sharply. His instinct honed by the betrayal of his past life whispered that something was being hidden. But he chose not to pursue it—for now. He had more practical problems.
"Three days until school. I need to understand the extent of this 'narrative convergence'. Give me data: which main characters have been detected as active at Sobu High?"
A blue panel appeared, displaying a list with small photos.
[Active – (Oregairu)]
· Hikigaya Hachiman (Year 2)
·Yukinoshita Yukino (Year 2)
·Yuigahama Yui (Year 2)
·Hiratsuka Shizuka (Teacher)
etc…
[Active – (To Love-Ru)]
· Rito Yuuki (Year 1)
·Lala Satalin Deviluke (???– STATUS: Alien Princess – Not yet appeared)
·Haruna Sairenji (Year 1)
·Momioka Risa (Year 1)
etc…
[Active – (Nisekoi)]
· Ichijou Raku (Year 1)
·Kirisaki Chitoge (Year 1 – STATUS: Gangster – DETECTED)
·Onodera Kosaki (Year 1)
·Tachibana Marika (??? – STATUS: Police Connections – Not yet appeared)
etc…
[High-Energy Anomaly – Kuoh Area]
· Hyoudou Issei (Year 3 – Kuoh Academy) – STATUS: Sacred Gear Longinus [Boosted Gear] – DETECTED
·Several low-level Devil/Angel/Fallen signals detected in the city's underworld area.
"So they're all really here, in one city, thankfully Issei is in the underworld." Hayato sighed. This world was like a giant fanfic crossover run by a careless writer.
He had to attend school amidst this narrative minefield. As the "popular" Hayama Hayato, he would automatically be involved in the school's social dynamics. And now with his Arc power that he must hide, and observation from other entities…
"My priority is to not stand out. Survive. Observe. And understand the limits of my power," he decided.
"A wise thought," said SERA. "I will help you monitor the movements of key characters and anomalous energy fluctuations. For now, no urgent missions. Enjoy… uh, face your normal days first."
"Normal," Hayato repeated in a hollow tone. Nothing was normal about his life now. Then he fell into a deep sleep.
---
The night air felt stifling and heavy, like a damp cloth wrapping his body. Hayato awoke from his restless sleep, his stomach growling in protest. Cold sweat dampened his forehead and neck.
'Forgot to turn on the AC again,' he complained inwardly. He sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room illuminated only by the pale moonlight through the curtain.
With weary steps, he headed to the sink in the bathroom. The cold water he splashed on his face felt like a blessing, washing away the remnants of sleepiness and discomfort.
However, the hunger in his stomach was unbearable. He turned, walking towards the small kitchen.
The refrigerator hummed softly as its door opened. Its white light illuminated its pathetic contents. A few bottles of mineral water, a bundle of carrots that were no longer fresh, jam, and… ah, there were two leftover curry bento boxes from a purchase a few days ago. Lucky.
He took one box, removed the plastic wrap, and placed it into the old microwave oven on the kitchen counter. The humming sound of the machine broke the night's silence. Hayato leaned against the counter, staring blankly towards the dark window.
His mind wandered—to the system, to his new world, to his old trauma. A strange life.
Ting.
The microwave sound stopped his reverie. He took out the now steaming hot bento box, its aroma appetizing. Carefully, he brought it to the small living room, turning on the television just for company.
A news channel was broadcasting local politics—a parliament member giving a speech about education reform. This world looked normal, ordinary. No news about alien invasions or yakuza riots. Perhaps all that happened behind the scenes.
After eating, he disposed of the bento box, then felt the increasingly unbearable room temperature. Sweat began to dampen his undershirt. The AC, he remembered. But instead of turning on the AC, he decided to shower first.
He took a change of clothes from the closet—a t-shirt and shorts—then headed to the bathroom. The white fluorescent light turned on, illuminating the clean white-blue tiles. He took off his clothes, then turned on the shower faucet.
Cold water sprayed, touching his skin with a refreshing jolt. Hayato tilted his head back, letting the water soak his blonde hair, closing his eyes. For a moment, there was peace. The sound of flowing water drowned out all thoughts.
Then, he heard something.
A strange hissing sound, like static electricity sparks, interspersed with a crackling sound like breaking glass. The sound came from above.
Hayato opened his eyes, alert. He looked up, searching for the source. The bathroom ceiling was normal—fluorescent light, water pipes, ventilation.
But the sound grew louder. The air around him felt subtly vibrating.
ZZZT—CRACK!
A circle of pink light suddenly lit up in the air right above him, followed by a small scream.
"Wah—?!"
Before Hayato could react, a figure fell from that circle of light—directly towards him.
"Oof—!"
His wet body was hit with full force. The two bodies tumbled messily onto the wet bathroom floor. Hayato felt pain in his back as it hit the hard floor, but what startled him more was the sensation upon him.
His lips touched something soft and warm.
His closed eyes shot wide open.
Above him, at an extremely close distance, a pair of large, confused green eyes stared at him. Long, wet pink hair cascaded down, touching his cheek.
And most strikingly… a tail shaped like a heart, pink in color with a pointed tip, was clearly visible moving behind the figure.
Lala Satalin Deviluke.
Hayato's brain immediately identified. Lala(?) The alien from To Love-Ru. The main female protagonist. Who was supposed to fall onto the roof of Rito Yuuki's bathroom, not into his!
And their position… Hayato lying on his back on the wet floor, Lala on top of him, with their lips still touching from the shock. Hayato's hands, reflexively trying to catch or break the fall, ended up grabbing… her tail.
Its texture was strange—soft yet strong, and upon being touched, the tail vibrated intensely.
"Kyaaa—!" Lala jolted, pushing herself to sit up still on top of Hayato, her face blushing brightly to her ears. "Y-Your lips… and my tail…!"
Hayato quickly released his grip on the tail as if touching a hot object. His mind panicked, exploding.
[SYSTEM: CANON HEROINE PRESENCE DETECTED!]
[SYSTEM:CRITICAL LOCATION ANOMALY!]
[Why is Lala here?!]
[Shouldn't she be on Rito's roof?!]
[SERA! SERA! There's a dimensional error in my bathroom!]
SERA appeared with her flickering hologram, looking as if she was scanning rapidly. The AI's face showed an "overwhelmed" expression.
[SERA: Host! Quick analysis shows… a spatial anomaly! The Deviluke teleportation system misfired!]
[SERA:The cause… yes… possibly… you.]
[Me?!]
[SERA: Anomalous entities—like yourself, Host—emit a sort of 'narrative interference'. The reality around you becomes… less stable towards the main plot. You're like a magnet for story deviations!]
While that panicked internal conversation took place in a split second, Lala only saw Hayato silent, his mouth not moving, but… there was a voice in her head.
The voice of the man in front of her, speaking in his own mind. And what she heard…
[Did she run away from a forced marriage again? Gid Lucione Deviluke… truly irresponsible. So tired with kingdom affairs that he neglects his own child's happiness…]
Lala gasped. Her green eyes widened. This man… he knew about her Father? About the forced marriage? And… there was a hidden tone of concern in his thoughts?
Most people who knew her status would be afraid, want to take advantage, or even shun her. But this inner voice… sounded honest, even a little annoyed on her behalf.
Hayato, unaware his thoughts were 'leaking', finally managed to gather his composure. He quickly sat up, moving away slightly from Lala.
His body reacted naturally to the presence of a naked pretty girl in his bathroom—and that reaction made him extremely embarrassed. He tried to cover his lower part with his hands.
"Lala," he said, trying hard to keep his voice flat even though his heart was pounding. "Satalin Deviluke. Crown Princess of Deviluke. Alien."
Lala nodded slowly, still fascinated. "Yes. You… know me?"
"More importantly," Hayato cut in, trying to divert attention. "You need to put on clothes and… leave. Find Rito Yuuki's house. That's where you're supposed to be."
"But I don't know who Rito Yuuki is," Lala protested innocently, tilting her head.
"The teleportation machine brought me here. To you." Her eyes sparkled with curiosity. "And… I can hear your ****** (Your inner voice)."
Hayato froze. [Hear… what?]
[SERA: Oh no. Host, psychic leakage detected! Most likely due to intense physical contact and your energy anomaly!]
[SERA: And… there's another system notification!]
A large blue screen suddenly appeared, filling Hayato's view.
[SYSTEM UPDATE: CANON DISRUPTION DETECTED]
✅ Main plot of canon world has significantly deviated.
🔁Original route: Rito Yuuki as focal point of interaction with Lala Deviluke.
⚠️ New route opened: Hayato Hayama becomes "Error Target" of Lala's teleportation system.
📍 Location: Bathroom [Bath scene energy quota: Exceeds normal limit]
🎯 Impact assessment:
—Domino effect on main characters(Rito, Risa, Yui, Haruna, etc.).
—Chance of non-canon heroine dominance increases.
—Dimensional balance: Unstable (temporary)
📩 [New Main Mission Unlocked]
Mission Name: [Welcome to the Wrong Route]
Description: Face the consequences of becoming the center of cross-world chaos. Maintain narrative stability without losing your sanity… or your libido.
Status: AUTOMATICALLY ACCEPTED
🎁 Initial Reward:
—Unlock: [Plot Divergence Layer 1]
—Limited access: [System Expansion UI]
—Reward Module: [Arc of Embodiment Upgrade Request]
📌 Note:
This world is not running by the script.
But you…remain its lead among the Heroines.
[System: > Click to continue.]
Hayato stared at the screen, his eyes almost bulging out. His blood boiled from a mix of panic, guilt, and the absurdity of the situation.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!!" he shouted, his voice echoing in the small bathroom.
Lala jumped in surprise at the shout. But then, her face actually brightened.
This man… was so different! He had secrets (the system?), he was worried about her (from his thoughts), and he… was spontaneous. Not like the boring princes her Father forced on her.
Without thinking, driven by curiosity, moved by hearing Hayato's thoughts, and her naive alien instinct, Lala leaned forward and hugged Hayato tightly.
"Met you!" she exclaimed, a wide smile gracing her pretty face. Her still wet and naked body pressed against Hayato.
"I'm Lala! You… are the first person to care about me without wanting something! Let's get married!"
Hayato's brain completely blanked. Alarms rang loudly in his head. His breath caught.
His senses were filled with the warmth of Lala's body, a strange but pleasant scent like alien flowers, and the softness pressing against his chest.
[SERA: Host! Your heart rate is 170 BPM! Stabilize yourself!]
[SERA: Options! Options! Use Arc of Embodiment to create clothes! Or emergency teleportation! Or—]
But before Hayato could think clearly, another voice, deeper and full of dignity, echoed in his head. Not SERA's voice.
"Very interesting."
The voice was like a distant rumble, but clear. Hayato recognized it—or at least, his intuition told him.
Zelretch.
"Two anomalies in close temporal proximity. One, a dragon child from another DxD universe, lost in the 'Void' and lost his memories. Full of suffering yet possessing smoldering potential."
Hayato was silent, listening. Lala was still hugging him, seemingly not hearing the voice.
"And the other one… you. Hayato Hayama. A reincarnated soul, with deep trauma and petrified distrust. Yet, your imagination… is wild. Unbound. If you and that dragon child meet, you might understand each other—or shatter reality with your crazy ideas."
A flash of an image flickered in Hayato's mind—Issei Hyoudou with empty eyes, walking between cracked dimensions.
"Fragments of 'Kyo'… are beginning to scatter. I hope the other watchers—Nyarlathotep the Crawling Chaos, Anos the overly confident Demon King, Cha Yeon-Woo the Monster walking through the tower—haven't noticed your existence yet. 'Arc of Embodiment'… a dangerous concept. If one day you imagine an Earth-like planet, or an isolated Planet…" The voice sounded like it was smiling.
"I wouldn't be surprised. Keep entertaining, Anomaly."
Then, the voice vanished.
Hayato took a deep breath. Slowly, he released Lala's embrace, looking into those green eyes full of hope and confusion.
"This… is very complicated, Lala," he said, his voice softer.
"You can't just marry a stranger. And… this world is dangerous. There are many things you need to know."
"But I want to stay here! With you!" protested Lala, her tail wagging enthusiastically.
Hayato sighed, a hand covering his face. He felt a headache coming on. Tonight was hot, his stomach was full, but his life had just become far more tangled.
Outside the window, the moon continued to shine, illuminating the seemingly peaceful city. Yet inside that small bathroom, the threads of fate from at least four different anime series had begun to entangle, with Hayato Hayama—the NPC turned anomaly—at the center of its vortex.
The world indeed was not running by the script. And the wrong route had just begun with a naked alien princess on the bathroom floor.